Reading invests in aerial photography

10 January 2007, 3:19pm

Reading Borough Council has invested in a new high-resolution aerial survey from GeoPerspectives. Flown earlier this year using the latest digital imaging technology, the aerial photography is already providing a return on investment by validating essential council databases, improving asset management information and assisting mobile data capture projects. The GeoPerspectives imagery is being made available to users throughout the Council via their intranet based geographical information system (GIS) and has already made it into the ‘top 3’ most utilised resources by the estimated 350 users.

Located at the heart of the UK’s ‘Silicon Valley’ in the centre of the Thames Valley Region, Reading is a mainly urban, highly prosperous town. Most of the Directorates within the Council are already using the GeoPerspectives aerial photography to improve services, reduce administration and manage essential council information. Projects have included identifying changes in buildings for Planning and Building Control, validation of the Council’s address gazetteer, the creation of up to date and accurate asset databases for Highways, Parks and Tree Preservation Orders, and improved mobile data capture for environmental management.

“The imagery is already proving to be a valuable resource for users throughout the Council,” said Louise Angell, GIS and Mapping Officer. “Using the aerial photography as a backdrop, Officers can check existing databases, such as the LLPG, at their desks. They can undertake initial site investigations without leaving the office and when in the field, the imagery is proving to be an essential navigational tool.”

“We are currently undertaking a project using PDA devices for recording incidents such as fly tipping, abandoned vehicles and graffiti. Field inspectors can access the imagery using the PDA in order to locate, map and monitor incidents that impact on our environment,” continued Louise.

The GeoPerspectives imagery was captured earlier this year using the latest digital camera technology. The Vexcel Ultra Cam D photogrammetric aerial survey camera enables imagery to be captured quickly and efficiently whilst maintaining the quality and accuracy of the photography. As the camera captures digital image files rather than storing images on film, the photography can be processed to create a map accurate dataset more quickly than if using conventional survey equipment. Purchased from aerial mapping company, BlueSky, by Reading Borough Council the 8cm resolution, georeferenced dataset will be stored in a central server accessed by users of the Council’s corporate GIS via the Council’s intranet.

GeoPerspectives is a joint venture between Infoterra and BlueSky providing national coverage of orthorectified aerial photography, digital terrain & surface models (DTM/DSM) for 3D modelling, and colour infra-red imagery (CIR) for vegetation analysis.

www.geoperspectives.co.uk

Geoperspectives